


Little white lies

by SugdenLovesDingle



Series: Robert week 2020 [5]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Reunions, Worried Parents, seb is a schemer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:13:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26051686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SugdenLovesDingle/pseuds/SugdenLovesDingle
Summary: Robert week day 5:  reunion/wedding 3.0Seb parent traps Robert and Aaron
Relationships: Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden
Series: Robert week 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1883644
Comments: 5
Kudos: 87





	Little white lies

They weren’t together. They were just friends. Friendly. For Seb’s sake. Nothing else.

Aaron had Ben. Had.

He’d sent the guy packing the second Robert had shown back up in Emmerdale.

Which had nothing to do with Robert.

He’d been happy Aaron had found someone that made him happy. Even though it had shattered his heart into a million pieces to see Aaron and Seb laugh and love someone that wasn’t him.

But then the universe had somehow been on his side and Aaron told him he’d broken up with him, one day while they were waiting outside Seb’s school, not long after his release.

Robert had wanted to dance and sing and jump for joy, but instead just told Aaron he was sorry and that Ben had seemed like a nice guy.

Aaron had just shrugged and said something along the lines of “It is what it is.” and the next moment Seb had come running up to them, thrilled to see both his dads waiting for him.

Aaron still drove Robert’s Porsche, and Robert himself wasn’t very confident behind the wheel yet, after not driving for years, so Aaron would drive them both up to Seb’s school every now and then to pick him up. Robert knew Seb lived for those days, and if he was honest with himself, he did too.

But some days, like today, Aaron didn’t have time to drive them and even though Robert didn’t mind driving short distances by now, he still didn’t fully trust himself behind the wheel. Not with Seb in the back anyway. So he’d get the bus to Hotten, pick Seb up, stop to get chips or ice cream or whatever he fancied, and then get the bus back to Emmerdale to drop him off with Aaron.

Only today his usual happy and bubbly son, didn’t run over to him when he saw him standing outside the school gates and instead looked sad and tired like no 6 year old ever should.

“Hey are you alright mate?” Robert asked, taking Seb’s bag from him and slinging an arm around his shoulders.

Seb shrugged and didn’t say anything.

“Did you get in trouble? Did something bad happen?” Robert asked and looked over his son’s head to see if Seb’s teacher was around anywhere to ask her if she’d noticed anything.

Seb shrugged again.

“Are you feeling poorly?” Robert tried and felt his forehead.

Another shrug.

“Was… was someone mean to you today?”

Ever since he’d gotten back to the village and into Seb’s life, Robert had been terrified that the kids in Seb’s class or their parents would find out about him having been in prison. Even though his name had been cleared and the school had assured both him and Aaron they wouldn’t tolerate bullying of any kind.

He knew all that, but he also knew what kids and stuck up parents who thought they owned the world could be like.

Seb shrugged again and just looked at his shoes.

“Come on, mate, you’re going to have to tell me what’s wrong or I can’t help you.” Robert pleaded. “I promise you won’t get in trouble.” He knelt down in front of the boy so he could look him in the eye. “You can tell me.”

Seb shook his head.

“I want to go home.” The boy said, chin wobbling like he was about to cry.

“Alright. We can do that. We’ll go home and put our PJ’s on and watch some telly. Maybe Harry will be home already too. And I know the password so we can watch a film on Netflix, ok?” Robert suggested and took it as a win when Seb didn’t reply but didn’t cry either.

Unfortunately when they got to the bus stop, the bus had just left and the next one wasn’t for another half hour.

“Do you want to get a milkshake while we wait?” Robert asked Seb who just shook his head and climbed onto the bench. “Are you sure you’re not feeling poorly? You love strawberry milkshakes.” Robert sat down next to him and was surprised when Seb climbed into his lap.

He hadn’t done that since he was little, since before Robert went away, and while he loved cuddling his son, it only made him more worried something was seriously wrong.

When the bus arrived, Robert had to peel Seb off of him to get on and pay the fare for the both of them. Seb picked a seat near the back, and clung to his dad again for dear life when Robert sat down too.

He stroked his hair and pressed a kiss to the top of his head.

“We’ll be home soon.”

“Bad day?” an elderly woman sitting near them asked as she watched them.

“Something like that.” Robert told her. “His best mate was off sick today and I think he’s coming down with something too.”

The woman gave Seb a sympathetic smile.

“Poor thing. Well I hope your mummy and daddy spoil you lots so you’ll feel better soon.”

“Thanks. We will.” Robert replied, not wanting to get into it with her about Seb having two dads.

“I have two daddies.” Apparently Seb disagreed.

“Oh. Right. Well. I still hope they spoil you then.” The woman said and Robert bit back a laugh at the uncomfortable look on her face.

“I’m proud of you.” He mumbled into Seb’s hair.

The rest of the bus ride back to Emmerdale was quiet and did nothing to ease Robert’s worries. He’d tried to get Seb talking after his little show down with the woman, but other than a few yeses and no’s he got nothing.

When the driver announced they’d have to take a slightly longer route than normal because of an accident nearby, Robert sighed and took out his phone to text Aaron.

_I’m on the bus home with Seb but it’s taking longer than planned._

_Accident on the bypass. Again._

He paused and stared at his phone screen. He didn’t want to worry Aaron, but on the other hand, he might know something Robert didn’t.

_Did he seem different to you this morning? He’s been really quiet and clingy. Didn’t even want to go for milkshakes._

When he got no reply, he figured Aaron must’ve been driving and wouldn’t be able to text back for a while. He looked out the window and noticed they were nearing Connelton.

“Look Seb, we’re really close now. There are the sheep.” He pointed at the five statues of sheep the local kids were always playing on and Seb regularly begged him to let him do too. Just not today.

Robert’s phone buzzed in his pocket and he begged the universe for a reply from Aaron.

_\- He was fine. I told him you were picking him up and you were going to get the bus back._

_\- Is he ill?_

_\- I’m almost home. I’ll get his tea ready. You want to stay?_

Robert stayed for tea every now and then, usually because Seb insisted on it, and thankfully Aaron’s cooking had improved over the years, so it wasn’t exactly a punishment.

Though it had felt weird the first time, right after he’d come back and Aaron technically was still seeing someone else, and none of them really knew where they stood. Now, however, it felt familiar and safe.

Until the inevitable moment Robert would go back to Vic’s and leave Seb and Aaron at the mill. Apart from that one time last week where Aaron asked him to stay for a drink after they had put Seb to bed, and eventually ended up in bed together themselves.

And Robert had pretended he’d just arrived when Seb got up the next morning. As far as they knew they’d gotten away with it.

_Sure. I’ll stay. We’re almost there._

_See you soon._

Robert stopped himself from adding an X after his last text. They weren’t together. Last week was a one off.

The bus pulled into Emmerdale a few minutes later and Seb clung to Robert’s hand like it was a lifeline.

“I texted daddy Aaron. He’s making your tea so I’ll take you home, ok?”

“Will you stay?” Seb asked quietly.

“Would you like me to?”

Seb nodded.

“Alright then, I’ll stay.”

They made their way over to the mill where Robert was happy to see Aaron’s truck parked outside.

“Look, daddy’s home already.”

Robert rang the doorbell and waited for Aaron to buzz them in. Aaron had tried to give him his old house key back but Robert had said no. It wasn’t his house anymore and he’d feel weird just walking in.

He couldn’t really figure out the look on Aaron’s face when he'd said that.

“Hey you two.” Aaron said when he opened the outside door moments later. He dropped to his knees in front of Seb. “Daddy Robert said you weren’t feeling well?”

Seb shrugged.

“Are you hungry? I’m making those chicken fingers you like. And maybe some chocolate milk to go with it? How’s that sound? Good?”

Seb just nodded and walked into the house.

Robert and Aaron shared a concerned look.

“He’s been like this ever since I picked him up and he won’t tell me what’s wrong…” Robert told Aaron. “I don’t think he’s ill. He doesn’t have a temperature.”

“I don’t get it. He was fine this morning.”

“He says he’s not being bullied but I don’t know what else it could be?”

“I’ll give Cain a ring later, see if Isaac has said anything.” Aaron looked at Seb who had curled up on the sofa. “Maybe we should skip tea and just put him to bed.”

“Hey mate, how about a nap? Maybe you’ll feel better after that.” Robert suggested. “I’ll read you a story.”

Seb sat up and rubbed his eyes.

“Daddy too?” he looked at Aaron.

“Yeah go on then.”

Robert took off Seb’s shoes and jacket and Aaron picked him up from the sofa.

“You’re getting a bit big for this, mate.”

Seb didn’t reply but just buried his face in Aaron’s neck as the three of them made their way up the stairs to his room.

As promised, both Robert and Aaron read him a story and sat with him until he was asleep. They both kissed him goodnight and quietly left the room.

“What if he’s being bullied and he’s afraid to tell us?” Robert asked when they were downstairs again.

“I don’t know… he didn’t seem afraid. Maybe he just had a bad day? Mental health wise?”

“Aaron he’s six. That’s a bit young to be depressed, don’t you think?”

“I don’t know, I’m not an expert!”

Robert ran a hand through his hair.

“Maybe he was just over tired. Things have been a bit crazy lately.”

“I suppose…” Aaron said and turned the stove on and started digging through the fridge.

“What are you doing?”

“Cooking? Even if Seb’s not feeling it, the two of us still have to eat… unless you have other plans?”

“No, no, definitely not… I just… didn’t think… the offer was still on the table now Seb’s out for the count.”

“I don’t see why not. I’ve got a bottle of red a Home James client gave me because I let them wait for Jimmy in the cabin a while back… I haven’t opened it yet.”

“So you’re giving me wine and a homecooked meal? Who are you and what have you done to Aaron?” Robert joked and they both laughed.

“I suppose I just… learnt to enjoy the finer things in life?” Aaron grinned. “Though it was you that got me drinking wine.”

Robert smiled.

“That time we both thought the other had done the shopping and the fridge was empty apart from some ancient microwave meals and a bottle of wine.”

“No that was a necessity.” Aaron argued, pointing a wooden spoon at him to prove his point. “It was one of the first times you cooked for me. After we moved in here properly. You made this pasta dish and insisted I had a glass of wine with it instead of a beer because it would taste better.”

“Well I was right, wasn’t I?” Robert said laughingly, coming to lean against the counter, watching Aaron cook.

“Yeah, yeah you were.” Aaron agreed, suddenly overly interested in the stir fry in the pan.

“Seb actually eats this stuff with you?” Robert asked, trying to cover up the change in atmosphere with mindless babbling.

Aaron snorted.

“No. I learnt to cook, not perform miracles.” He laughed. “The most exotic thing he’ll eat is pizza. Without bits.”

“Bits?”

“Veggies. Anything that’s not cheese or tomato sauce.”

Robert laughed.

“Liv 2.0 then.”

“Kind of. ” Aaron laughed too. “But she’s not quite as bad anymore. She’ll even tolerate herbs in her food these days.”

They chatted some more while Aaron finished their meal and dished it up and poured them both a glass of wine.

The food was good, and the company better. It felt like the last few years had never happened and they’d just been living there in blissful happiness ever since they’d gotten back together properly in 2018.

“We had some good times together didn’t we?” Aaron leaned back in his chair.

Robert nodded.

“Until I screwed it all up.”

“You wanted to protect your family.”

“And in the end I lost them all.”

“And got them back. Seb adores you, Vic is happy you're back, Harry thinks you’re the coolest… even though you’re not but he’ll figure that out eventually.” Aaron said and they both laughed.

“And what about you? Are you happy I’m back?” Robert asked carefully.

“I thought you’d figured that out already. What with last week…” Aaron grinned, moving his chair closer to Robert. “I missed you so much while you were away…” he leaned in and softly kissed Robert. “And I’m so glad you’re back.”

Robert didn’t know what to say to that and instead chose to kiss Aaron again.

Suddenly they heard a squeal coming from the general direction of the stairs.

“You’re in love again!”

They turned around and saw Seb sitting on the steps with a big smile on his face.

“Were you spying on us, you little monster?” Robert asked, pretending to be angry as Aaron went to grab him.

Seb squealed in delight when Aaron dumped him on the sofa and sat down next to him and started tickling him.

“I thought you were ill, huh? Was all this just an act?” Aaron asked but the boy was laughing too much to answer.

Robert watched them from the table with a fond smile on his face.

“I could use a little help here, Rob! The monster is getting away!” Aaron yelled, pretending to struggle to keep a hold of Seb.

Robert laughed and joined their tickle fight.

Later, when the three of them were trying to catch their breath again, Seb looked back and forth between his parents.

“You’re really in love again now?” he asked.

“Yeah, we are.” Robert confirmed, sharing a look with Aaron over Seb’s head.

“We never stopped.” Aaron said, dropping a kiss in Seb’s hair before pressing one to Robert’s lips.

Maybe sometimes all it took was a scheming six year old to right the wrongs in the world.


End file.
